Shane Coughlan spreads the praise ahead of the 10th Men’s Cup final
Shane Coughlan, 35, makes basketball history tonight, playing in the 10th Men’s Cup final with C&S UCC Demons.
Team-mate Niall O’Reilly is also involved in his 10th final of which nine were with Demons and one in 1998 with a losing Neptune side.
The Demons captain downplays his illustrious career and instead was keener to heap praise on his fellow veteran.
“Niall O’Reilly was a magnificent signing for us and has been with us from our first cup win in 2003. No doubt he will play a big part in this final if the going gets tough. There is no better man to have in the trenches.”
When Colin O’Reilly took over as coach last season many wondered how things would work out with the Sunday’s Well club.
They need not have worried. Coughlan added: “Just look at our record and I am sure you will see we have only lost two games in almost two seasons and to me Colin has brought the professionalism that was sadly missing for a number of years.”
Many basketball pundits feel tonight’s Men’s Senior final against underdogs UCD Marian is a foregone conclusion.
However, Coughlan isn’t allowing complacency creep into his camp.
“UCD Marian have a few decent players and with nothing to lose they are going to enjoy the experience of this magnificent occasion. Deep down they know we have put together a plan to win this game and I guess they will have to come with a better one to turn us over.”
If Demons win, both Coughlan and Niall O’Reilly will sit proud on the summit as the only two players in the history of the sport to have won this championship six times.
Not that Coughlan is thinking about that.
“Individual records is something that never bothered me as all I want is a win for the club who I have played with for the last 28 years and one that I hold dear to my heart.”
The mood in the UCD Marian camp is also bullish as captain Conor Meany prepares for what he hopes will be a memorable weekend for his club.
“We are in a similar position to what we were in 2011 when raging underdogs going into the final against Killester and we ended up winning the title.”
Can UCD Marian produce another Houdini act against the might of UCC Demons? “The great thing about sport is the unpredictability and although we know how good Demons are we realise we have players capable of putting it up them.”
C&S UCC Demons.
